Credit reports will let you know what shape your personal or business credit standing is in. You are entitled to free credit reports once every 12 months according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. These free credit scores and reports can be obtained either online or by mail by the three nationwide reporting companies. These free annual credit reports will include where you live, how you pay your bills, along with information on if you have ever been sued or filed for bankruptcy.

Choosing Your Free Credit Report
When choosing a company to issue your free instant credit report be sure they are going to be thorough with the report. You will want a company that gives you complete credit reports and takes the time to explain your credit score so you can better understand where your finances stand. These online credit reports should be delivered quickly and securely and alert you of any key changes that have taken place since your last credit report was issued.

Credit Report For Your Business
If you run a business you may want to have a business credit report run to check the financial standings of your business. There are many companies out there willing to handle this service but you will have to pay for it as they don’t offer free online credit reports for your business. Alternately, if you are a consumer wishing to check on the credit score of a business you can also do this online as well. This is a paid service but some companies will offer you a short trial period of free access to credit reports in order to test their services before you buy.

Know Which Credit Cards To Use
As a part of keeping your credit reports as good as possible you should know which the best credit cards to use are. Consumer reports has tested credit cards and issued their findings on the top 10 best credit cards to use. When choosing a credit card you will want to pay close attention to the annual interest rate that applies to balances carried over from month to month. Some may offer low introductory offers but these could sky rocket after a short period or if you miss one payment. You will also want to check to see what other services you get with your card such as instant insurance on purchases or air plan miles. Whichever you choose just be sure the card won’t get you into trouble and damage your credit reports.